Saltville, Virginia
Saltville is a town in Smyth County, Virginia. The population of the town is 2,077. Demographics As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the town is: 98.51% White (2,046) 1.35% Other (28) 0.14% Black or African American (3) 28.8% (598) of Saltville residents live below the poverty line. Theft rate statistics Saltville has low rates of Pokemon theft and murder. The town reported 1 Pokemon theft in 2018, and averages 0.75 murders a year. Pokemon See the Smyth County page for more info. Fun facts * Saltville was named for the salt marshes in the area. Prior to European settlement, these marshes attracted local wildlife. Excavations at the SV-2 archaeological site in the area have recovered several well preserved skeletons of now extinct species dating back to the last ice age. Indigenous peoples of varying cultures hunted at the marshes. The historic Native American people in the area were the Chisca. * The salt caverns in Saltville are used for natural gas storage, the only one to serve the Mid-Atlantic states. The cavern type in Saltville is considered the best for this purpose because the gas can be injected and removed quickly to meet immediate demand. * The Museum of the Middle Appalachians is located in downtown Saltville. The museum displays exhibits on topics including the geological history of the region, the American Civil War, the company town era of Saltville's history, and the Woodland Indians. * Saltville was the location of the infamous "Muck Dam" break on December 24, 1924 which allowed the release of a huge volume of liquid chemical waste (stored there by the Mathieson Alkali Company) into the north fork of the Holston River taking the lives of nineteen people who lived along the river. The river remained polluted and virtually dead for several decades afterward. * During the American Civil War, Saltville was one of the Confederacy's main saltworks. The saltworks were considered vital to the Confederate war effort because the salt was used in preserving meat for Confederate soldiers and civilians. Because of its importance, the town was attacked by Northern forces intent on destroying the saltworks. On October 2, 1864 the First Battle of Saltville was fought there. In the battle Union forces attacked Saltville but were defeated by Confederate troops. Following the battle a number of wounded black troops were murdered in what was dubbed the "Saltville Massacre." (Shortly after the war Champ Ferguson was tried, convicted, and executed for war crimes for this and other killings.) ** Two months later General George Stoneman, a Union cavalry commander, led a second attack on the saltworks (known as the Second Battle of Saltville). This time the Confederates were defeated and the saltworks were destroyed by Union troops. The loss of the Saltville works was considered a major blow to the Confederacy's dwindling resources. * Hydrazine rocket fuel made by Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation's plant in Saltville was used to power the rocket that took the first humans to the moon in the Apollo 11 mission. * Saltville has very little in the way of amenities to offer. It has dollar stores, a Pizza Plus, a Subway, a few local restaurants and businesses, a little bit of public battle fields, a sports complex, a landing strip, Buck's Drive-In, Rite Aid, and that's about it. Category:Virginia Towns